The Warm Up
J. Cole · 2009
73 min · 22 tracks · Southern hip-hop · conscious hip-hop
A blend of introspective lyricism and soulful beats that captures the struggles of ambition and identity.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- introspective moments of reflection
- dynamic peaks and valleys
- soulful beats for deep thought
- late-night contemplation with friends
- ambitious narratives of personal growth
Maybe skip if you want
- seeking instant gratification
- prefer standalone tracks only
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on January 1, 2009, 'The Warm Up' was J. Cole's second mixtape, following his debut 'The Come Up' from 2007. At this point in his career, he was gaining traction, having signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation shortly after this mixtape, which set the stage for his future success.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Kendrick Lamar· Big K.R.I.T.· Isaiah Rashad
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Intro (The Warm Up) 1:47
- 2 Welcome 2:21
- 3 Can I Live 3:21
- 4 Grown Simba 3:53
- 5 Just to Get By 1:37
- 6 Lights Please 4:26
- 7 Dead Presidents II 3:35
- 8 I Get Up 4:54
- 9 World Is Empty 2:56
- 10 Dreams 4:24
- 11 Royal Flush 1:28
- 12 Dollar and a Dream II 4:21
- 13 Water Break (interlude) 2:20
- 14 Heartache 3:02
- 15 Get Away 3:18
- 16 Knock Knock 1:54
- 17 Ladies 3:23
- 18 Til' Infinity 2:11
- 19 The Badness 2:37
- 20 Hold It Down 4:18
- 21 Last Call 7:33
- 22 Losing My Balance 4:16
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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